Taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni, president of the South African Local and Long-Distance Taxi and Bus Organisation, appeared before the Madlanga commission on Tuesday. He conceded to receiving R2.29m from a subcontractor involved in the R3.7bn Moloto Road upgrade project in Mpumalanga for doing nothing. However, Sibanyoni denied allegations of extortion against him. The commission is investigating Sibanyoni's involvement in the project and allegations of extortion against Tengane Thomas Ntuli, who owns a company that supplied aggregate stone to the project.
Sibanyoni claimed that he had entered into a partnership with Ntuli because Ntuli needed to meet a "30% local content" requirement to get the tender from Sanral's main contractor. He argued that without him, as a resident of Kwaggafontein, Ntuli would not have won the tender. However, Sibanyoni could not point to a specific regulation that stipulates the 30% requirement. Commissioner Sesi Baloyi questioned Sibanyoni about the 30% local content requirement, suggesting that it seemed to require locals in an area to provide services and get paid.
Sibanyoni accepted that he received R100,000 a month for merely entering into a "partnership" with Ntuli without providing any service to the company. Bathabile Ntuli, the director of the mining company, stated in an affidavit that payments made to Sibanyoni "were made under duress as we were fearing for our lives, taking into account the bad operation history of Mr Joe Sibanyoni in Kwaggafontein." Bathabile claimed that it was a normal practice that "if you do not cooperate with his [Sibanyoni] demands, your life will be in danger."
Despite Sibanyoni's claims, there was no paper trail to prove his deal with Ntuli. Chief evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson pointed out to Sibanyoni that if the local share was a requirement of the contract, either under regulation or under the terms of the tender with Sanral, there would have to be some documentary evidence of his interest in Tengane Ntuli. Sibanyoni responded that Ntuli had the responsibility to ensure such paper evidence to Sanral, not him.
Sibanyoni's right-hand man, Oupa "Bafana" Sindane, made threats to stop Ntuli's company's operations when Ntuli did not pay. However, Sibanyoni claimed that such actions were not done on his "instruction". He described Sindane's threat as "interference" in his partnership with Ntuli. Sibanyoni maintained that he and Ntuli had a good relationship and that he did not make threatening messages.
The commission also heard evidence of Sibanyoni's involvement in the payment of R250,000 in legal fees for a man convicted of a taxi violence murder. Advocate Hartley Ngoato sent a message to Sibanyoni complaining about "nonpayment" after defending Jabu Gwabu Mahlangu, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2025 for a taxi violence-related killing. Sibanyoni denied personally making the payments, but acknowledged that he facilitated payment of legal fees for Mahlangu, which were paid for by a taxi association.
The Madlanga commission will continue with its public hearings on Wednesday. Sibanyoni's case is part of a broader investigation into protection-fee syndicates in South Africa, which have been growing in recent years. Business organisations have been appealing to the police to intervene and protect entrepreneurs from dangerous groups demanding a share of project profits.
Key points
- Taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni received R2.29m for doing nothing in a R3.7bn road upgrade project.
- Sibanyoni denies allegations of extortion against him.
- The Madlanga commission will continue with its public hearings on Wednesday.
